Perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) is a aid for creating high performance plastics such as Teflon, it is also used in fire proofing and water sealing. PFOA has been being looked at for a wile as something that may have the effect of causing liver faller in trace amounts in small animals and is being looked at as a possible carcinogen. In resent time companies have been sewed for there being high levels of PFOA in the water supplies in some arias. PFOA also dues not decompose or react with things in nature so it stays and continues to leach in to the air and water around it.
Background
How we use this chemical;
Perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) is used in many types of industry for a number of different resigns as well as in everyday products. Used for both non-stick and flame retardant substances PFOA can be found in any number of places.
Specific products it’s in;
Some of the places PFOA is used include; fire fighting foam, cleaning products, flame retardant coatings, and water repellent coatings.
What it does;
PFOA is used for the production of nonstick, flame retardantence surfaces and high performance plastics.
Where it is used;
It can be found in use all over the world in a variety of products and countries.
Human health implications
PFOA though useful for the properties as fire proofing, water proofing, and stick proofing does have some draw backs, such as health concerns. One of these possible concerns is that in some animals it has shown to damage livers in small amounts. Another health concern is that it can be past through the umbilical cord to a women’s un born child.
Another health concern is Teflon (a material made with PFOA) when heated to 600 plus degrees F releases fumes can cause flue like sintomes and dizziness. These fumes contain PFOA.
Other possible heath concerns that are going to be looked in to are PFOA's potential to cause liver, testicular, pancreatic and breast cancers and whether it affects the hormones or nervous or immune systems. Though theses have not been fully looked in to the EPA has proposed to look in to these.
Environmental implications
PFOA dues not break down in the environment, it’s is completely resistant to the normal ways in witch compounds brake down witch are trough sun light, reacting with chemicals in the air (photolysis), by bacteria (biodegradation), or reacting with chemicals in the water(hydrolysis).
Economic/Political Impact
What if it were banned?
If PFOA were band there would have to be a replacement for it in most nonstick surfes, fireproof materials, and water resident stains, or it can just be able to be fazed out depending on what companies want to do. Also PFOA is planed to be fazed out in products by 2015.
Cost of alternatives?
There would only be the cost of buying the new technologies to make the same products without fluoropolymers(the substances that are crated with the PFOA). this could drive up the price of many things.
What products would we not have if it were banned?
If it were to be banned there would be very little lost from the shelves because there are other ways of making the same products without the PFOA if companies are willing the get the other technologies.
What countries export this product?
Many counties use and export PFOA including but not limited to the UK, USA, and China.
How/If a ban affects you (or the average American)?
There would be a temporary rise in the price of some products while the companies get the means to make the products another way due to supply and demand and the cost of the new equipment. Or the they would lose a cuple of things that can no longer be made.
What are the political ramifications of banning this chemical?
There would be less harmful chemicals being used and dumped in harmful arias such as in rivers that are used for drinking water.
Summary
To remove this PFOA from the market would be a good thing being that may cause liver damage and that it is being looked at for the possibility of being a carcinogen so it’s remove could solve some health problems. Also the fact that it is used in cookware help put it in our bodies by removing it would no longer have direct axes to our bodies.
It is also good to band it because of its slow rate of decay and the fact that it leaches in to the air and water is harmful to the flora and fauna in the aria it is around.
No action is necessary because the company around the world have agreed to stop using PFOA within the next couple of years (slightly less then a decade) so though yes it will be doing damage over that time it is being corrected by the people how make it.
"Possible dangers of using nonstick cookware." Possible dangers of using nonstick cookware | Environmental Working Group 17 Mar. 2008 <http://www.ewg.org/node/17696>.
Table of Contents
Abstract
Perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) is a aid for creating high performance plastics such as Teflon, it is also used in fire proofing and water sealing. PFOA has been being looked at for a wile as something that may have the effect of causing liver faller in trace amounts in small animals and is being looked at as a possible carcinogen. In resent time companies have been sewed for there being high levels of PFOA in the water supplies in some arias. PFOA also dues not decompose or react with things in nature so it stays and continues to leach in to the air and water around it.Background
How we use this chemical;
Perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) is used in many types of industry for a number of different resigns as well as in everyday products. Used for both non-stick and flame retardant substances PFOA can be found in any number of places.Specific products it’s in;
Some of the places PFOA is used include; fire fighting foam, cleaning products, flame retardant coatings, and water repellent coatings.What it does;
PFOA is used for the production of nonstick, flame retardantence surfaces and high performance plastics.Where it is used;
It can be found in use all over the world in a variety of products and countries.Human health implications
PFOA though useful for the properties as fire proofing, water proofing, and stick proofing does have some draw backs, such as health concerns. One of these possible concerns is that in some animals it has shown to damage livers in small amounts. Another health concern is that it can be past through the umbilical cord to a women’s un born child.
Another health concern is Teflon (a material made with PFOA) when heated to 600 plus degrees F releases fumes can cause flue like sintomes and dizziness. These fumes contain PFOA.
Other possible heath concerns that are going to be looked in to are PFOA's potential to cause liver, testicular, pancreatic and breast cancers and whether it affects the hormones or nervous or immune systems. Though theses have not been fully looked in to the EPA has proposed to look in to these.
Environmental implications
PFOA dues not break down in the environment, it’s is completely resistant to the normal ways in witch compounds brake down witch are trough sun light, reacting with chemicals in the air (photolysis), by bacteria (biodegradation), or reacting with chemicals in the water(hydrolysis).
Economic/Political Impact
What if it were banned?
If PFOA were band there would have to be a replacement for it in most nonstick surfes, fireproof materials, and water resident stains, or it can just be able to be fazed out depending on what companies want to do. Also PFOA is planed to be fazed out in products by 2015.Cost of alternatives?
There would only be the cost of buying the new technologies to make the same products without fluoropolymers(the substances that are crated with the PFOA). this could drive up the price of many things.What products would we not have if it were banned?
If it were to be banned there would be very little lost from the shelves because there are other ways of making the same products without the PFOA if companies are willing the get the other technologies.What countries export this product?
Many counties use and export PFOA including but not limited to the UK, USA, and China.How/If a ban affects you (or the average American)?
There would be a temporary rise in the price of some products while the companies get the means to make the products another way due to supply and demand and the cost of the new equipment. Or the they would lose a cuple of things that can no longer be made.What are the political ramifications of banning this chemical?
There would be less harmful chemicals being used and dumped in harmful arias such as in rivers that are used for drinking water.Summary
To remove this PFOA from the market would be a good thing being that may cause liver damage and that it is being looked at for the possibility of being a carcinogen so it’s remove could solve some health problems. Also the fact that it is used in cookware help put it in our bodies by removing it would no longer have direct axes to our bodies.
It is also good to band it because of its slow rate of decay and the fact that it leaches in to the air and water is harmful to the flora and fauna in the aria it is around.
No action is necessary because the company around the world have agreed to stop using PFOA within the next couple of years (slightly less then a decade) so though yes it will be doing damage over that time it is being corrected by the people how make it.
PSA
sources
"Environmental - Adverse Effects PFOS - PFOA (Perfluorinated chemicals)." . Fluoride 18 Mar. 2008 <http://www.fluoridealert.org/pesticides/effect.pfos.environmental.htm>.
"Possible dangers of using nonstick cookware." Possible dangers of using nonstick cookware | Environmental Working Group 17 Mar. 2008 <http://www.ewg.org/node/17696>.
" Nonstick Chemicals May Pose a Threat." Common Dream.org 17 Mar. 2008 <http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1205-05.htm>.
"PFOA - Perfluorooctanoic Acid - Concerns Regarding Exposure and Products Such As Teflon:." www.pfoa.com 17 Mar. 2008 <http://www.pfoa.com/are-there-reasonable-alternatives-to-the-use-of-PFOA.html>.
"PFOA-facts.com, a resource for information about PFOA." www.pfoa-facts.com 17 Mar. 2008 <http://www.pfoa-facts.com/faq.html>.
"Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)." EPA.gov 24 Feb. 2008 <http://www.epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/index.htm>.
"Basic Information on PFOA." EPA.gov 24 Feb. 2008 <http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/pubs/pfoainfo.htm#uses>.
"Chemicals Within Us." National Geographic 24 Feb. 2008 <http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0610/feature4/index.html?fs=www3.nationalgeographic.com&fs=plasma.nationalgeographic.com>.